Never Grow Up
by KDiMeraFan21
Summary: When Derek comes across something condemning in his daughter Avery's bedroom, he gets into a fight with Penelope. Can they agree on how to parent their 17 year old?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hope you guys enjoy! I wanted to show Derek in an all new light.**

If there was one thing that made Derek Morgan crazy, it was his four kids.

He loved them all dearly, and he had since the day they were born. He wore his overprotective badge with pride.

Avery, Chloe, and Kylie knew how overprotective their dad could be. When Avery brought home her first boyfriend, Derek had scared the boy shitless. When Chloe kept getting benched in her basketball games, Derek fought for her. When Kylie was being bullied at school, Derek marched into the principal's office, scaring everyone in his path.

Sebastian, his youngest and only son, also knew Derek wasn't to be messed with. When he colored on the wall when he was four, he was grounded for two whole weeks. It had seemed like an eternity to the young boy.

Sebastian was eight now though. He knew better than to use his crayons on the walls. That's why he was coloring and swinging his legs back and forth at the kitchen table. He was trying to stay out of trouble.

"Have you seen my laptop charger?" Derek asked, walking in. "I can't find it anywhere."

Sebastian barely looked up from his coloring book. "I think Avery had it last night," he said. "She borrowed your computer for a little while. She had to work on a paper."

"Why couldn't she use her own laptop?" he asked. Sebastian shrugged. Groaning, Derek asked: "Is it in her bedroom?"

"Should be," Sebastian replied, swinging his feet as he talked. "That's where she was last night when she had it."

"Alright," Derek said. "Thanks buddy."

Derek headed upstairs, silently cursing at the fact Avery was gone to volleyball practice. If she was home, she could've fetched the charger herself. He wasn't entirely comfortable going through his 17-year-old's things. He knew Avery would go insane if she found out that he was going through her belongings.

He opened her nightstand drawer, hoping the charger was in there. He found all the traditional things. Avery had a small bible tucked away, a pair of reading glasses, and a night light. Derek reached toward the back of the drawer, and his fingers grazed a small box.

Confused, he pulled it out and gasped. It was Trojan condoms.

"No," Derek said out loud. "No, no, no."

Okay. Avery was having sex. She was seventeen, and it was expected of course, but Derek was still bothered. Was she being safe? She was heading to college in a few months and didn't need to worry about a baby. My god, Avery was too young to be doing this! She had just learned to drive not too long ago. She wasn't even out of high school yet.

His baby actually had to worry about these things now. She was almost an adult.

Derek collapsed on the bed, staring blindly at the box. His fingers were trembling. The brownie points Avery's boyfriend Alex had earned with him were slowly disappearing. He had come to respect the young man over time, but he was having a hard time with it now. Were they actually doing... _it?_

Penelope walked passed the room carrying laundry then. She saw Derek in his catatonic state and stopped abruptly.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Then, panicked: "Did something happen?"

"No," he choked out. "but I found these."

He held up the Trojan's, watching Penelope's reaction as he did so. She didn't seem surprised or shocked at all. "Okay?"

"They were in Avery's drawer," Derek explained, nodding at the nightstand. "I was looking for my laptop charger, and… they were tucked away."

"She's seventeen, D," Penelope said. "A lot of teens experiment with sex at her age."

"So?" Derek cried. "She's _seventeen_! She has so much going for her in the next few months. Graduation, college, and her first job. Avery knows better than this. This could ruin her future."

"Derek," Penelope breathed, coming into the room. "She's obviously taking precautions."

He couldn't look at her. He stalked over to Avery's bedroom window and stared down. It was only a few seconds before Penelope had her hand on his shoulder.

"You can't protect her for forever," she pointed. "She has to experience the world. Besides, weren't you having sex at seventeen?"

"That's beside the point."

Penelope bit back a laugh. Well, Avery has a good head on her shoulders. She's being safe. She's taking all the precautions necessary. She's on birth control too."

Derek whirled around. "What?" he sputtered. "When did she start birth control?"

"A few months ago," she said, surprised by his outburst. "She's been with Alex for two years now, so I figured it was time. I scheduled the appointment and went with her."

"My god, Penelope," he said. "Did you buy the condoms too?"

It was at her sheepish glance that Derek lost his cool completely. As soon as his wife averted her eyes, he threw the box of trojans across the room. They knocked a notebook off Avery's desk.

"Great!" he yelled. "This is just great! You've basically gave our daughter the go-ahead to have sex whenever she feels like it. You may have lost your virginity at fifteen to a guy at band camp, but that doesn't mean our daughter has to."

She scoffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You were _fifteen!"_ he yelled. "That's only a year older than Chloe! I can barely stomach Avery doing these things. Much less Chloe!"

He stopped to take a breath. He was shaking from where he was so angry.

"Why didn't you ask me if I was okay with this?" he continued to yell. "You didn't even tell me you took Avery to talk with someone. Or that she started birth control."

"It's a female thing," Penelope said heatedly. "I didn't think I should embarrass Avery by telling you. Besides, it wasn't a secret per say. If you asked, I would've told you."

"I can't even look at you right now," he said, throwing his hands in the air. "You must really want some grandkids, don't you? Do you want to just head out for the weekend and give Avery and Alex the go-ahead? Give them the house keys and everything?"

Without thinking, Penelope slapped Derek as hard as she could across the face.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for all the positive feedback so far. I appreciate it! Here's the update.**

He rubbed his stinging cheek, staring at Penelope in dumbstruck shock. "You slapped me," he stated simply.

"You wouldn't stop," she replied harshly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to finish the laundry and help Sebastian with his homework."

"Wait," Derek said, clinging to her arm. "I'm sorry. I just...I don't want to lose her. She's my firstborn. _Our_ little girl."

Penelope only stood looking at him while he spoke. She had no words. "Do you remember when she was born?" he asked. "She was so little. Avery barely weighed six pounds."

"Of course I do," Penelope whispered. "You cried more than I did."

"That's what I'm thinking about right now," he said. "She's still so little, Penelope. Avery might turn eighteen in a couple of months, but she's still that baby to me."

Softening a little, Penelope led him over to the bed and they sat down. She took his hands into hers. "Look," she said. "I'm not the biggest fan of her having sex either. I'd rather her wait. I just want her to be honest with me and take precautions. I'm not giving her the go-ahead to do anything."

"I shouldn't have said that," Derek said. "I'm sorry. I was just really angry and freaked out by the whole thing."

They sat in silence for a moment and looked around the teen's bedroom. The walls were still painted a light pink from her nursery days. Avery's volleyball awards and certificates covered the entirety of one wall. Her poster of the Beatles hung on her closet door.

"When is she coming back from volleyball practice?" Derek asked. "We need to talk to her."

Penelope glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. "It should be any minute now," she said. "Avery is usually home before four."

Right on cue, Avery's red jetta pulled into the drive. They listened to the car door slamming, her footsteps on the porch, and the opening of the front door. They heard her talking to Sebastian downstairs. Chloe and Kylie were both at friend's houses.

"What are we going to say?" Penelope whispered. "We don't want her pulling away from us. If we make her angry enough, she won't confide in me anymore."

Avery was coming up the staircase now.

"I'm going to tell her like it is," Derek said. "I'm disappointed in her for doing this."

"Derek," she hissed, but Avery was at the door already.

"What are you guys doing in here?" Avery cried, tossing her volleyball bag on the floor. "Somebody better have died."

"Avery," Derek said simply. "Sit down. We need to talk."

The teenager looked at her parents defiantly. "I'd prefer to stand," she said, tossing her curly hair behind her shoulder like Penelope did when she was mad. "I only have a minute or two to talk. I'm babysitting for the O'Briens later and need to study for a test."

"Is that really what you're doing?" Derek said, anger radiating off him like heat. "Or are you hanging out with Alex?"

"Alex?" Avery asked confused. "He's not even in town. He's visiting his grandparents in Philadelphia for the weekend."

"Sure he is," Derek said and swore. Then: "Is he waiting at a hotel room for you? Or do you have the house to yourselves?"

"Derek," Penelope yelled. "Stop it."

"Let me guess," he continued to snarl. Derek was pacing now. "He's a complete bastard when it comes to sex. He makes you buy the condoms and everything, doesn't he?"

Avery looked at him for barely a second before bursting into tears. "What are you talking about, Dad?" she sobbed. "Alex and his parents really are in Pennsylvania for the weekend. He posted pictures on Facebook yesterday."

"Are you sexting him? Have you sent him pictures?" he continued to yell. "Because, Avery, I swear..."

Penelope jumped to her feet. "That's it!" she yelled. "You are not talking to our daughter this way. She's practically an adult, Derek!"

"She's still seventeen," he said. "You're going to talk to us, Avery. Start from the beginning."

She only looked at him with a fire blazing in her eyes. She definitely had her father's temper. "Why should I?" Avery countered. "You were never concerned before you thought we were having sex. You didn't even really like Alex all that much."

"I never…"

"You didn't like him!" Avery insisted. "You never let us be alone in the house. You read all the text messages I sent him. You wouldn't let him take me out after dark for months!"

"Avery," Derek said. "Let me get a word in, please."

"No!" she roared. "You never asked me about Alex. Not once in the last two years. When I brought him up, you changed the subject. You never listened to anything I had to say regarding him."

"I'll listen now," he pleaded. "Please. Just talk to me. I just want to know that you're alright and being safe. What more could do a father want?"

"Maybe if you listened more you'd know that Alex and I broke up last week," Avery said. Then, looking at Penelope: "I didn't tell you because I didn't want Dad throwing a party to celebrate. You know he would."

Then she turned and ran out of the house. She didn't stop, even when Derek and Penelope yelled for her to come back.

* * *

"You," Penelope started. "were the biggest asshole ever. What gives you the right to talk to her like that?"

They were still in Avery's bedroom, but Derek's eyes were glued to the car in the driveway. Avery was sitting inside, but she hadn't left. At least not yet.

"I lost my cool," he said. "I'm human."

Penelope shook her head at him. "Lost your cool? More like going complete apeshit." Then:"I'll be with Sebastian. You need to make things right with Avery. She's furious."

"Penelope," Derek started, but she turned on her heel and left him in the bedroom, staring after her in bewilderment. It seemed he couldn't do anything right by his wife or daughter today.

How was he supposed to reason with a 17-year-old who was rebellious as anything? He certainly didn't want Avery to run off with Alex or another strange guy. Derek just wanted her to be responsible. Especially when it came to serious things like sex. Why couldn't he get through to his teenager?

He headed down the stairs, nearly colliding with his second daughter Kylie. Apparently she had came back early from the neighbor's house she had been studying at. The fourteen year old grinned at him.

"Hey Dad," she said. "Wanna play flag football?"

"Later," he replied. "I promise Ky. I just need to fix things with your sister first."

With that said, Derek practically ran outside. Avery was still in her Jetta, the engine running, and one of CDs playing through the speakers. It sounded dark and depressing.

He knocked on the passenger side window. Avery barely looked at him. Wordlessly she unlocked the door, and he slid into the seat.

"Avery," Derek said. "I'm sorry, but we need to talk about what I found."

A/N: **Don't forget to review! New update will be soon.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's the final chapter! Thanks for the feedback. Enjoy!**

Avery refused to look at Derek altogether. She turned the dial on the radio so the music wasn't as loud. "Alright," she said softly. "Say whatever you need to say."

He looked at her out of his peripheral vision. Now that he was paying attention, Avery did seem older. More mature than he'd realized before. She was poised behind the steering wheel, like an experienced driver would be, and turned to look at him expectedly.

"Are you being safe?" Derek asked. "Or were you?"

She nodded slowly. "Of course," she said. "Mom told me everything that I needed to know. Alex and I were always careful. I promise."

Silence fell between them then. Derek could feel the awkward tension, and it bothered him greatly. This was his daughter, yet she felt like a stranger. He only felt this awkward when talking to a superior or a difficult unsub. This was _Avery_ though.

Why did he feel this way? He didn't like it at all. Had Derek been so preoccupied with himself and his other kids that he hadn't been paying attention to Avery? He barely recognized her.

Apparently she had been right before. There were a lot of things Derek hadn't noticed. She had broken up with Alex for one. She'd highlighted her hair too now that he was peering at her closer. Was that a new piercing, or had she had it for a while?

It seemed Derek had some catching up to do with his daughter.

"What happened?" he asked. "With you and Alex?"

Avery waited a few seconds before answering. "We decided that we wanted different things out of a relationship," she said carefully. "I wanted something more serious. He wanted something a little...much, uh, physical."

"Did he pressure you into anything?" Derek demanded to know. He would kill the kid if he had. "Nothing happened that you didn't want to, did it?"

"No, no," she said. "Everything was consensual. Alex was always a gentleman with me."

"Good," Derek mumbled, the awkwardness taking over again. Then: "I'm sorry," he said. "I should've let you speak before. And I should've listened."

"You're only human, Daddy," she said. "I forgive you. Besides, I'm touched that you care so much for me."

"Thanks," Derek said. "I'm still bothered about what you said about Alex though. I did like him, Av. A father can really only like the guy his daughter brings home so much though. I respected him. He treated you right. I thought he was a good kid."

"Me too," Avery said. "We're friends. We still mean a great deal to one another, together or not together. That's why we still talk sometimes."

 _Damn,_ Derek thought. _That's really adult of them. Even more so than Penelope and me have been with our exes._

He had never really kept in contact with an ex after breaking up with them. Keeping a friendship was usually out of the question. His last girlfriend, Savannah, hated his guts. That was mainly because he left her for Penelope, but Savannah still refused to even be in the same room as Derek. Almost twenty years had passed too.

Yet here was his daughter, not even eighteen, and she was already able to stay amicable with an ex-boyfriend. Her and Alex were still friends. Derek had never stayed friends with anyone like that. His breakups usually involved long fights and broken objects.

"When did you get so wise?" Derek asked with a grin. "You sound like you're forty."

She laughed a little. "I learned from the best," she replied. "You and Mom always told us to be with someone who made us happier than we knew we could be. Alex didn't make me feel that way anymore. All we did was disagree, so we decided we're better off as friends."

"Well," Derek said. "If you're happy, I'm happy. You definitely handled the situation better than I would have."

Avery shut the car off then. Turning to look at him, she asked: "Aren't you going to go fix things with Mom? She was pretty ticked at you for yelling at me."

He winced. "I suppose I should, shouldn't I? I was an ass to her."

"Maybe you should make a trip to the florist first," she said. "Mom's always more forgiving when you get her flowers."

"True," Derek said. Then, nodding at the steering wheel: "Do you care to drive me?"

She gave him a lopsided grin. "Not at all, Dad," she said and started the car.

It seemed all was right with his daughter again. They were talking and laughing and things didn't seem as awkward anymore. He was finally getting to know Avery. She wasn't just that mysterious teen that lived in his house anymore. She was an interesting young lady.

Derek couldn't be more proud of her.

* * *

A half hour later, Avery and Derek pulled into the Morgan driveway. He was holding a bouquet of roses on his lap, while Avery carefully wedged her Jetta between his SUV and Penelope's vintage car.

He hadn't wanted to go so fancy with flowers, but Avery had insisted. "C'mon," she said. "You haven't gotten her roses since you two dated. That was eons ago!"

It had been a while, Derek realized as he walked into the house. He usually didn't buy Penelope flowers for anniversaries and holidays. The kids were always picking daffodils out in the yard, so he usually tried to be more creative with his gifts. Until today anyway.

Avery, taking her cue, ushered Sebastian and Kylie upstairs to play a board game with her. Chloe still wasn't home, so Derek and Penelope had their privacy to talk.

He found Penelope in the kitchen. She was stirring something on the stove and humming a showtune to herself. He instantly wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her blonde hair.

"I'm sorry Baby Girl," he said. "I've been an idiot today. Can you ever forgive me?"

She turned in his arms, surprising him with a kiss. "Of course I forgive you," Penelope said. "You and Avery seemed like you had a lot of fun." Then, squealing at the sight of the roses: "Are those for me?"

"You know it Mama," he said and handed them over.

She dramatically put a hand over her heart. "You know how to flatter a woman," Penelope said. "Thanks."

She rummaged through a cabinet for a vase. Finding one, she filled it with water. Derek leaned against the counter while she arranged the roses to fit.

"There we go," she said. "Now it's perfect." Then, turning to him: "How did things go with Avery? Is everything between you two alright now?"

"Never better," Derek said. "Everything's water under the bridge now. I trust her completely. She's really grown up on us, Pen."

There was something in his tone that caught her attention. She gave him a small smile. "I told you she was practically an adult," she said. "You didn't believe me."

"Avery's definitely more mature than I was at seventeen," Derek admitted. "I was a player back then. Even worse than my FBI streak with the ladies."

"Seriously?" Penelope asked, tasting what she was making on the stove. She offered him a sip of the soup. Then: "I barely remember being seventeen. I was just always goofing off, you know? Sneaking out, skipping class. I was even smoking."

"What?" he cried. "You _smoked?_ My lovely tech genius and beautiful wife damaged her lungs with smoke once upon a time?"

She nodded sadly. "It wasn't my finest moment," she said. "When my parents died, I quit cold turkey. I haven't touched the stuff since."

Derek only shook his head at her. "Avery is miles beyond us," he said. "Our little middle aged teenager."

"I'm proud of her," Penelope said. "She's turning into a fantastic young woman."

"I'm proud of her too," Derek replied with a grin. "She's perfect."

 **A/N: Thanks for reading!**


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